The winger has been heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road in the summer, with Spanish giants Barcelona keen on him.
The Brazilian is claimed to be at the top of Blaugrana coach Xavi’s summer transfer wish list
Raphinha has a relegation release clause in his current deal at Leeds, and Barcelona were tipped to be looking to trigger it in the summer, when the Yorkshire giants’ future in the Premier League was up in the air.
However, a 2-1 win away at Brentford on Sunday, in which Raphinha scored a penalty, secured Leeds’ top flight status, which means any club looking to snare away the winger must sit at the negotiating table with his current side.
And Barcelona will only move for the 25-year-old if their star Dembele leaves Camp Nou when his contract expires in June.
Xavi has made it clear to the Barcelona hierarchy that his priority is to keep Dembele in his squad beyond the length of his current deal.
Raphinha remains keen on moving to the Catalan giants in the upcoming window and is willing to wait and see how Dembele’s future plays out.
And even if Barcelona ultimately move for the Brazil international, they are expected to have a tough time negotiating a deal for him with Leeds, as they are likely to ask for a significant amount.
